Wagering games based on the outcome of randomly generated or selected symbols are well known. Such games are widely played in gambling establishments, such as casinos, and include card games wherein the symbols comprise familiar, common playing cards. Card games such as “twenty-one” or “blackjack,” poker and the like are excellent card games for use in casinos. Desirable attributes of casino card games are that they are exciting, that they can be learned and understood easily by players, and that they move or are played rapidly to their wager-resolving outcome.
From the perspective of players, the time the dealer must spend shuffling cards diminishes the excitement of the game. From the perspective of casinos, shuffling time reduces the number of wagers placed and resolved in a given amount of time, thereby reducing revenue. Casinos would like to increase the amount of revenue generated by a game without changing games, particularly a popular game, and without increasing the minimum size of wagers. One approach to speeding play is to speed shuffling. This approach has lead to the development of electromechanical or mechanical card-shuffling devices. Such devices increase the speed of shuffling and dealing, thereby increasing playing time. Such devices also add to the excitement of a game by reducing the time the dealer or house has to spend in preparing to play the game.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,513,969 (Samsel, Jr.) and 4,515,367 (Howard) disclose automatic card shufflers. The Samsel, Jr. patent discloses a card shuffler having housing with two wells for receiving stacks of cards. A first extractor selects, removes and intermixes the bottommost card from each stack and delivers the intermixed cards to a storage compartment. A second extractor sequentially removes the bottommost card from the storage compartment and delivers it to a typical shoe from which the dealer may take the card for presentation to the players.
The Howard patent discloses a card mixer for randomly interleaving cards including a carriage supported ejector for ejecting a group of cards (approximately two playing decks in number) which may then be removed manually from the shuffler or dropped automatically into a chute for delivery to a typical dealing shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,712 (Lorber et al.) discloses an automatic shuffling apparatus designed to intermix multiple decks of cards under the programmed control of a computer. The Lorber et al. apparatus is a carousel-type shuffler having a container, a storage device for storing shuffled playing cards, a removing device and an inserting device for intermixing the playing cards in the container, a dealing shoe and supplying means for supplying the shuffled playing cards from the storage device to the dealing shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,453 (Stevens et al.) discloses an apparatus for automatically shuffling cards. The Stevens et al. machine includes three contiguous magazines with an elevatable platform in the center magazine only. Unshuffled cards are placed in the center magazine and the spitting rollers at the top of the magazine spit the cards randomly to the left and right magazines in a simultaneous cutting and shuffling step. The cards are moved back into the center magazine by direct lateral movement of each shuffled stack, placing one stack on top of the other to stack all cards in a shuffled stack in the center magazine.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,954 (Erickson et al.) discloses the concept of delivering cards one at a time, into one of a number vertically stacked card-shuffling compartments. The Erickson patent also discloses using a logic circuit to determine the sequence for determining the delivery location of a card, and that a card shuffler can be used to deal stacks of shuffled cards to a player. U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,140 (Huen) discloses a card dispenser which dispenses or deals cards in four discrete directions onto a playing surface, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 793,489 (Williams), 2,001,918 (Nevius), 2,043,343 (Warner) and 3,312,473 (Friedman et al.) disclose various card holders some of which include recesses (e.g., Friedman et al.) to facilitate removal of cards. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,950,005 (MacDonald) and 3,690,670 (Cassady et al.) disclose card-sorting devices which require specially marked cards.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,421 (Hoffman) discloses a card-shuffling device including a card-loading station with a conveyor belt. The belt moves the lowermost card in a stack onto a distribution elevator whereby a stack of cards is accumulated on the distribution elevator. Adjacent to the elevator is a vertical stack of mixing pockets. A microprocessor preprogrammed with a finite number of distribution schedules sends a sequence of signals to the elevator corresponding to heights called out in the schedule. Each distribution schedule comprises a preselected distribution sequence, which is fixed as opposed to random. Single cards are moved into the respective pocket at that height. The distribution schedule is either randomly selected or schedules are executed in sequence. When the microprocessor completes the execution of a single distribution cycle, the cards are removed a stack at a time and loaded into a second elevator. The second elevator delivers cards to an output reservoir.
Another card-handling apparatus with an elevator is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,085 (Johnson et al.). U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,743 (Nicoletti) discloses a playing card dispenser including an inclined surface and a card pusher for urging cards down the inclined surface.
Other known card-shuffling devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,778,644 (Stephenson), 4,497,488 (Plevyak et al.), 4,807,884 and 5,275,411 (both Breeding) and 5,695,189 (Breeding et al.). The Breeding patents disclose machines for automatically shuffling a single deck of cards including a deck receiving zone, a carriage section for separating a deck into two deck portions, a sloped mechanism positioned between adjacent corners of the deck portions, and an apparatus for snapping the cards over the sloped mechanism to interleave the cards.
The Breeding single deck shufflers used in connection with LET IT RIDE® stud poker are programmed to first shuffle a deck of cards, and then sequentially deliver hands of a preselected number for each player. LET IT RIDE® stud poker is the subject of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,288,081 and 5,437,462 (Breeding), which are herein incorporated by reference. The Breeding single deck shuffler delivers three cards from the shuffled deck in sequence to a receiving rack. The dealer removes the first hand from the rack. Then, the next hand is automatically delivered. Breeding et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,189 is directed to a shuffling machine for shuffling multiple decks of cards with three magazines wherein unshuffled cards are cut and then shuffled.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,399 (Kelley) describes a hand-forming system that tends to be specific for use in contract bridge or duplicate bridge. In one form of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration in the drawings, FIG. 1 of Kelley shows an exterior perspective. Side walls 2 and 3 form an enclosure that is deep enough to hold a deck of playing cards. The length of side 3 is approximately the width of a card; the length of side 2 is approximately the length of a card, which thus establishes how the cards are oriented in the device. Side 2 has a cutaway opening so as to allow removal of the cards placed in the enclosure if necessary. The enclosure has a removable weighted top 1 that when placed on top of a deck of cards provides a downward pressure on the deck of cards. Element 5 is a slot in the base of the enclosure through which a contact means can engage the bottom card of the deck to cause its horizontal displacement. The device is shown with a holding compartment with sides 11 and base 10 for temporary storage of a card deck or program cards. Underneath this compartment are five holding receptacles with notched base 13 and end 12 to hold the cards after they pass through the device. Several switches 7 are accessible and can be used to initiate card dealing and to enter information into the system as to contract and result. There is also a small visual display 6 that can be used for indicating facts about the hand (dealer, vulnerability, board number) as well as for validating information that the user may enter with the switches 7.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,140 (Huen) describes a shuffling device for playing cards. Among the features described in Huen is a card dispenser 10 that includes microprocessor-based electronic circuitry 28 which controls the operation of the actuators 22 in a random order. In other words, even if the cards 14 are stacked in a particular order and are to be dispensed one by one downwards in that order, the directions in which or the locations (four sides of the body 11) to which they are to be dispensed will be in an unpredictable manner. Despite the random order in which the actuators 22 are operated, the electronic circuitry 28 will ensure (by means of counters) that the cards 14 are distributed at the end in a particular manner according to the card game to be played, such as four suits of thirteen cards for a bridge game. In the case of playing games such as poker, the card dispenser 10 can be controlled to dispense a single card at a time. The distribution mode is presettable by a user through a control panel 29 on the body 11. The control panel 29 has a liquid crystal display 30 and six buttons 31, and also enables a user to switch on/off and to start or interrupt the operation of the card dispenser 10, to input the number of locations (players), and to disable the shuffling function.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,951,950 and 4,822,050 (Normand et al.) describe a shuffling device with user input features thereon. FIGS. 1 and 2 of Normand et al. show the distributing device in the form of a rectangular box with a housing 2 in the form of a shoe sized according to a deck of cards and closed by a hinged cover 3. Alongside shoe 2, box 1 comprises display 4 for associating, with each of the four cardinal points symbolizing the players, an indicator lamp 5 comprising a diode. At the center display 4 includes a liquid crystal device 6 displaying a deal number. On the side as an extension to shoe 2, box 1 has slot 7 for the successive exit of the playing cards 8. Near display 4, box 1 includes key set 9 which, as will be explained further, controls certain functions such as: presentation of first card after insertion of the deck of cards to be dealt into the shoe, scrolling forward and backward of the deal numbers, callback of the display of the last card withdrawn etc. In addition, connector 10 makes it possible to connect the dealing device to a serial or parallel source of information and if necessary to a power outlet for direct supply or for battery recharging purposes. It is further stated that there is “a key set 46 controlling the display of a variety of operations such as initialization, stop function, battery recharge, etc.”
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,637 (Pfeiffer) discloses a device for use with a card game format. The device of Pfeiffer includes a plurality of user stations 28 distributed around the apparatus. Each user station 28 has an output port where cards are delivered face down. Dealt cards are removed from each output port through a slit 34 under hinged output door 20. A finger notch 32 formed in base 14 and door 20 at each user station 28 permits player access to dealt cards in the output port without having to lift door 20. The apparatus has selector recesses 42 adapted for receiving selectors 74 indicating a user's card selection. Recesses 42 are typically positioned at each player position 28 in a molded base 14 beneath the corresponding output port. Selector dials, slides or buttons on the selector may be provided to make the card selection. Once inserted, the selector makes contact through a connector to register the desired selection. Alternatively, selectors may communicate card selections to the apparatus 10 via wired connection or infrared beams.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,684 (Grauzer et al.) describes a shuffling device with dealer input features. Another feature of that invention is providing a programmable card-handling machine with a display and appropriate inputs for adjusting the machine to any of a number of games wherein the inputs include one or more of a number of cards per hand or the name of the game selector, a number of hands delivered selector and a trouble-shooting input. Residual cards after all designated hands are dealt may be stored within the machine, delivered to an output tray that is part of the machine, or delivered for collection out of the machine, usually after all hands have been dealt and/or delivered.
Published U.S. Application 2005/0145093 (Grauzer et al.) describes a shuffler with game selection unit. It specifically describes an automatic card shuffler comprising: a card infeed area, the area accepting a group of cards to be randomized; a card feeder capable of moving cards from the card infeed area to a shuffling mechanism; a card-shuffling mechanism, whereby an order of fed cards is randomized, and at least one random hand of cards is formed; a card-removing device, the device moving the at least one random hand of cards into a delivery tray, a delivery tray; a microprocessor programmable to control operation of the shuffler; and a user input device for selecting game information. The game information is selected from the group consisting of game names, and numbers of cards per hand. A display is in communication with the microprocessor for displaying game information.
Published U.S. Application 2005/0051956 (Grauzer et al.) (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,791) describes a shuffling device that includes a description of another feature of the providing a programmable card-handling machine with a display and appropriate inputs for adjusting the machine to any of a number of games wherein the inputs include one or more of a number of cards per hand or the name-of-the-game selector, a number-of-hands-delivered selector and a trouble-shooting input. Residual cards after all designated hands are dealt may be stored within the machine, delivered to an output tray that is part of the machine, or delivered for collection out of the machine, usually after all hands have been dealt and/or delivered. Additionally, there may be an elevator speed or carousel drive speed adjustment and position sensor to accommodate or monitor the position of the elevator or carousel as cards wear or become bowed or warped. These features also provide for interchangeability of the apparatus, meaning the same apparatus can be used for many different games and in different locations, thereby reducing the number of back-up machines or units required at a casino.
Published U.S. Application 2005/0104289 (Grauzer et al.) (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,602) discloses the formation of subgroups of cards (more than one card) within compartments in a shuffling device, and the delivery of the subgroups, one at a time or multiple groups at a time, to a delivery area where the cards are manually provided to the players and (where needed) to the dealer.
The casino environment has dramatically changed in the past fifteen years, when the prevailing card games were blackjack and baccarat. There were almost no games besides these two card games where additional cards were provided to the players, and no card games where sequences of varying numbers of cards might have to be automatically dealt at various stages of the game. The introduction of such games, such as draw poker, Texas Hold'Em, Omaha Poker, CRAZY 4 POKER®, FOUR CARD POKER™, SIX CARD POKER™, 3-5-7POKER™, and other games introduced greater complexity to the delivery of cards to players, to dealers and to community card areas. This complexity also introduced the potential for errors and fraud by the misdealing numbers of cards, the positions to which cards were dealt, and when cards were to be dealt and delivered.
Prior systems such as the Shuffle Master ACE® shuffler or BG-3™ shuffler that provide individual hands to be delivered by the dealer, deliver a single fixed number of cards to the delivery tray at a single time (with the total number delivered one card at a time, portions of the cards pushed into the tray up to the specific fixed number of cards, or all cards of the total number pushed into the tray from a compartment). In games such as LET IT RIDE® poker, where each player gets three cards and the community cards comprise two cards, the shuffler deals out a steady stream of three-card sets, and the dealer removes one card from the last three-card set to for the two-card community set. In FOUR CARD POKER™, the players are dealt five cards and the dealer is dealt six cards. This is done by feeding out a steady stream of five-card sets, and the dealer takes an additional one card from the last five-card set to provide the sixth card needed for the dealer's six-card hand.
As can be seen, the provision of additional cards or removal of cards, usually to and from the dealer's cards, offers the opportunity for deviations between the number of cards dispensed and the number of cards used (e.g., removing the top, bottom or middle card in LET IT RIDE® poker; or the selection of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th cards in FOUR CARD POKER™) and, therefore, presents an appearance of an opportunity for manipulation of the ultimate results by altering the position from which cards are selected for removal or delivery. This can lead to misperception by players that the house can control or manipulate game outcomes.
Although the devices disclosed in the preceding patents and published applications provide improvements in card-shuffling devices, none discloses or suggests a device and method for providing a plurality of hands of cards, wherein additional numbers of cards or partial hands of a selected number of randomly arranged cards and specific numbers of varied or variable cards for later placement and/or distribution are formed, facilitating the casino play of new card games.